


Toy Shop

by noblydonedonnanoble



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-06
Updated: 2012-05-06
Packaged: 2017-11-04 22:38:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/398972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noblydonedonnanoble/pseuds/noblydonedonnanoble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place during "Closing Time". What happened BEFORE Craig came in and found the Doctor working.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Toy Shop

                Working in a toy shop might be one of the best things he’s ever done. Out of everywhere he’s been in his life, this is somewhere he really feels like he could _help_ people. Shoppers seem to realize almost immediately that he has an abnormal affinity for knowing exactly what their child would most want to play with and for just knowing how to entertain children while the parents are wandering around the store. He’s very quickly bombarded with questions and children and he handles it all splendidly.

                Near closing, a small boy wanders over to him and he thinks nothing of it. The Doctor crouches on the floor and drives trains around the immense train tracks in the store with the boy.

                “John? Have you picked out something you like?”

                At the sound of the voice, the Doctor starts. He immediately jumps up to stand at his full height and regards the boy’s mother. He squints at her. “ _Donna_?”

                He says it as a question, but he knows it’s her. It’s only been a few years since he left her, after all. And, quite frankly, he would know Donna anywhere. She’s not exactly easy to forget. Not that he’s _tried_ to forget her. In fact, he will do anything to never forget her.

                But she knows none of that. And as he stands looking at her, looking at her look at him with a clearly puzzled expression on her face, he reminds himself that she can’t know how much she means to him. “Yes… Do I know you?”

                The Doctor clears his throat. “No. Just… just a lucky guess. I like to guess the names of customers.”

                She gives him that look like she wants to call him on his bull shit and he can’t help but smile because dear God he missed that look. But unlike the Donna he grew to love so much, she doesn’t feel like she can really say anything to him because of course as far as she knows, they’re complete strangers and he’s simply a madman in a toy shop.

                When he first met her, she probably would have said something.

                Now, she just shrugs and commends him for his brilliant guessing. Again, she asks John if he’s found something that he wants yet. He shakes his head, and the Doctor knows that it’s because he’s been occupying his time. He doesn’t tell Donna this.

                And then she looks at him. “Well, if you work here, you probably have an idea of what children like. I’ve promised John the toy of his choice for his birthday. Any suggestions?”

                A grin lights up the Doctor’s face. “Sure. After all, I’m here to help.”

                Donna takes John’s hand and the two of them follow the Doctor through the store as he points out various things that he absolutely loves. Donna watches as John lights up more and more and it’s all thanks to the Doctor.

                “So how old is John?”

                “He’ll be three tomorrow.”

                “Wow.”

                Of course his _Wow_ is not for the same reasons she thinks. His _Wow_ is because she’s so Donna, but so not Donna. Because she’s got a _son_ and the son has her glowing with pride. Because she’s so happy, but in her eyes he sees that deep down she knows she lost something.

                John picks a toy—one the Doctor loves in particular—and the two of them go to purchase it. The Doctor doesn’t ring them up because management seemed to have the sense to know he needs to be kept away from a machine that has plenty of buttons, that would make noises and do exciting things.

                He watches from afar, as more parents ask him questions. As more children come up to play. As Donna pays and turns to the door. But the Doctor sees her glance in his direction and he smiles and waves. She smiles slightly too.

                Only moments before they’re out of sight, the Doctor thinks to call, “Happy birthday, John!”

                The two of them turn and the Doctor gives them a thumbs up.

                When Craig comes in only fifteen minutes later, he does such a good job of pretending that he’s completely happy that he almost even believes it.


End file.
